Seroquel, AstraZeneca’s top selling psychiatric drug, will cost the drug company $520 million to settle two federal inquiries as well as two whistle blower lawsuits. The settlement comes after the US Justice Department began investigating AstraZeneca for its marketing of the psychiatric drug to children and the elderly. In addition to the federal lawsuits, Seroquel’s maker is facing 14,444 civil suits on behalf of patients who developed diabetes and other health issues after taking the psychiatric drug.
Seroquel is the latest psychiatric drug to face stiff penalties for its marketing practices. Earlier this year, the maker of Zyprexa, Eli Lilly & Co. paid $1.4 billion.
The identities of the whistleblowers and other details surrounding the case against Seroquel remain sealed in federal court.